Goody Two-Shoes Review

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(More customer reviews)"Goody Two-Shoes" is something of a pejorative these days, but that wasn't always the case. Goody Two-Shoes is a children's story that was first published by John Newberry in 1765. It tells the story of Margery Meanwell, whose father was hopelessly in debt, and hounded to his death. Margery and her brother were orphaned, and Margery was left without a full pair of shoes. A kindly man took pity on Margery and purchased a pair of shoes for her. She was so proud of the shoes that she went around showing everyone that she had "two-shoes" And, so from that day on everyone called her "Goody Two-Shoes." Impressed by the generosity of the man, Margery commits herself to helping those less fortunate than herself. With a true heart and a kind nature, she makes a success of everything she sets her hand to, and with time marries a rich and kindly man.

Right, this is a kind-hearted and uplifting story that teaches children to be kind and giving, and that that will produce rewards unasked for. In this rather cynical and mean-spirited age, it's no surprise that the story is now viewed with derision. But, in truth its lesson is no less correct today than when the story was first written.

By the way, the real author of this book is unknown. John Newberry (whose name is now associated with an award for excellence in children's literature) hired many authors to write for him, and did not usually include the name of the author when he published a book - such was the case with this book. Many scholars believe that the book was written by the great Oliver Goldsmith (1730-74). Is this the case? I don't know, but it is easy to see why it was John Newberry's best-selling book ever.

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Product Description:
he History of Little Goody Two-Shoes is a children's story by an anonymous author, published in 1765. The story popularized the phrase "goody two-shoes", often used to describe an excessively or annoyingly virtuous person. In more recent years, the phrase has developed a more negative connotation, implying that the virtuousness of a "goody two-shoes" is insincere.

Goody Two-Shoes is a variation of the Cinderella story. The fable tells of Goody Two-Shoes, the nickname of a poor orphan girl named Margery Meanwell, who goes through life with only one shoe. When she is given a complete pair by a rich gentleman, she is so happy that she tells everyone that she has "two shoes". Later, Margery becomes a teacher and marries a rich widower. This earning of wealth serves as proof that her virtuousness has been rewarded, a popular theme in children's literature of the era.

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